greasyspider's 71 Charger Project

[greasyspider]

What is the best way to finish the underside? This car was heavily undercoated. I'm not sure if it was from the factory or not. When peeling the undercoat off, it looked like the undercarriage was pretty well covered in paint.  Should I just paint it and forget about the undercoating?

[Wicked72]

Honestly if your planning on driving it a bunch I would undercoat it. It would keep the bottom from chipping and rusting. You could undercoat then paint as well. http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,46508.75.html

[SRT-68]

Fantastic story!  You are doing a great job and keep the photos coming.   

[greasyspider]

Does anyone know how well the AMD quarters fit? I hope they fit better that the floorpan did...

[Al]

I love these hardcore restoration threads 

[Wicked72]

From what I have been told they fit better then any other quarter. I will be getting the one I need from there along with my valances and glass.

[greasyspider]

From what I have been told they fit better then any other quarter. I will be getting the one I need from there along with my valances and glass.

    Well, That could mean its perfect, or the whole thing will need to be remade.  The upper door hinges I got from AMD would let the door line up at all with the rocker even after hogging the holes as much as we could, had to use the old ones.

[LeeBoy]

any updates?

[greasyspider]

Progress has been slow going.  Turns out many of the parts AMD has in their catalogue don't exist.  Plus, the body shop makes a good portion of its money on snowstorms, and we've had a couple few too many of those this winter.

but we have made some progress since my last post

inner fender is replaced:


quarters and trunk are in:








Still looking for a decent pair of fenders (or brace)

[LeeBoy]

  lookin good man

[greasyspider]

Cancer has been repaired!





Trunk floor is in!

Both floor pans are in!


Some of the panel are sealed:




Progress!!!!

[DustinSimmonds]

Great progress! Keep the pictures coming! I love to see jobs come together! It helps me feel better about my project.  What are you going to do next?

[ChargerSG]

Looking good, thats a hell of a resto. I have done the same to my old 69SE and it took me 2 years, but the Amd stuff i bought was great(but expensive) but mayby they are better on 2:gen.
Keep the pictures coming

[greasyspider]

COLOR!

[moparsons]

Nice!!!!    Congrats. 

[greasyspider]

More Color!





This has given me motivation to get the rest done although I am horrible at stopping to take pics as I go:
Here Is the rear end after soda blasting:


It didn't get the heavy rust and I need to Sandblast a little more, After sandblasting the rearend I noticed this:

That explains the leak.
I had the crack welded, then painted the housing with POR 15 flat black.
I changed the pinion seal and bearings then wire wheeled the housing.   I used krylon cast gray to paint it.


Next was the brakes, backing plates and drums:
I put them thru the blast cabinet I borrowed from a friend.  My compressor can't keep up very well, it took about an hour for each backing plate.










I put the distribution block on my wire wheel:





With that done I will put it and the Front suspension back under the wheel and get it rolling again, then start on this:

[Paul G]

You have an awesome car! Doing a great job on the resto as well. 3rd gens are my favorite. Is it a numbers matching car? 

[greasyspider]

Thanks! From what little I know, all of the numbers match except the block.  It looks like someone swapped the heads and manifolds off of the original to a 76 block.  The tranny matches as does every thing else.  I'm not sure on date codes, but the casting #'s match.

[greasyspider]

Electrolysis is really the way to go if you are pressed for time.  I put parts I don't have time to sandblast or that are to delicate for blasting in this bucket for a spell and the rust just disappears:


A little salt, a piece of metal,  and a DC power supply (I'm using one from an old computer) let stew overnight and your parts come out looking brand new(ish)!  

My fender tags before:



After soaking overnight (negative goes to the part, positive to the sacrificial steel):

[Paul G]

Are you restoring to factory original, or plan to warm it up a bit?

[greasyspider]

The motor is already .040 over with a cam.  Its only got about 5000 on it so I am leaving it alone.  Just changing the gaskets and giving it new paint.  I got a fastener kit from AMK products that I'll be putting in too.

This is what I did last night with the help of some switchback ale:







I did paint it but after A beer or 10 I sometimes forget to take pictures...

Also got the car back on its on wheels!!:




Is the bracket at the front supposed to be black or body color? 

[Patronus]

siiiick.. 

[earnie]

please sir may we have some more pics

[greasyspider]

Working on it. Like I said, after a beer or ten, I forget to take pics... 

[SRT-68]

Fantastic! I love the hardcore rebuilds.